1. Field of the Disclosure
The invention relates to a refrigerant storage system and apparatus, a cold storage system and apparatus, a hybrid refrigerant storage and cold storage system and apparatus, an absorption refrigeration system and apparatus, and a refrigeration method using the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
The “background” description provided herein is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the disclosure. Work of the presently named inventors, to the extent it is described in this background section, as well as aspects of the description which may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly nor impliedly admitted as prior art against the present invention.
Different refrigeration designs have been studied in the past to ensure continuous refrigeration for 24 hours a day. Storage designs include heat (sensible and latent) storage systems, cold (ice) storage systems, and refrigerant storage systems. Each storage system has its limitations, for example, heat storage systems require efficient solar collectors which make the systems expensive, cold storage systems have lower coefficients of performance, and refrigerant storage systems are both expensive and bulky, often requiring large, thick-walled high and low pressure vessels.
It is often more efficient to carry out refrigeration at night when ambient temperatures are lower and refrigeration systems are required to achieve a less demanding temperature change. However, when refrigeration is carried out using solar energy or similar techniques it may be difficult to achieve sufficient refrigeration during night time hours. Storing a substance that was previously refrigerated is one means by which cooling potential may be made available for 24 hour cooling even using solar energy.